


Birthday

by Rshinystars



Series: Blossoms [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Comfort, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Past, Past Relationship(s), dance, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 19:12:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10837614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rshinystars/pseuds/Rshinystars
Summary: Ravus goes to see his childhood friend again on his birthday.Nothing important.But seeing the effects of everything of the past 8 years on her hurts. Yet, after their separation, she only wants to focus on the good things.





	Birthday

“I didn’t expect you to show up today,” Calista murmurs softly not facing him.  
Ravus sighs, “I didn’t either.”  
Calista’s eyes continue to focus on the world outside her window. Where she has been unable to go for the past 8 years. Her amber-green eyes tracing every detail. Every tree, every bird, every cloud, every flower. Anything she can see to remind her that there’s still life out there.  
Ravus closes the door behind him, “Calista…”  
“I expected you to be at something else… You know? With you training and all...” her voice is distant and Ravus can hear the slight frustration in her voice. The irritation at him for taking up such a position.  
“I--”  
“Or visit Lunafreya…” Calista cuts him off.  
Realizing that she wanted to take the topic off of her, Ravus runs on the topic of Lunafreya, “I have. I’ve spoken to her recently; she was concerned about you.”  
“Me?”  
Ravus tried to hold back the flinch from her harsh tone. The accusation in her voice as if blaming them for being worried for her. As if she was saying that they shouldn’t be worried for her.  
“Yes,” holding back all emotion, Ravus keeps his voice steady, just wishing she would look at him. “She told me… that you’ve been--”  
“How is she?”  
Cut off again. Ravus growls inwardly at her attempts to shut him down. He just wants to know if she is okay. He just wants to know what was happening to her when he couldn’t be here. Time was scarce and he only ever saw her once every few months, and it pains him because he knows she is struggling. Cooped up in their kingdom--here only because of her father…  
That damn man…  
Ravus takes a deep breath and one step forward realizing he never made it away from the door, “She’s been well… for the most part.”  
“For the most part? Did you ask her if she was alright or did you just tell her what to do?” at this Calista directs all her attention to Ravus, criticizing him. Judging him. But the exhaustion in her eyes pained him more than her judgement.  
What happened between them?  
“Calista, I’m trying my best--”  
“I get it… I get it, you’re trying hard. I understand.”  
But does she? Does she know why he is going through all this? Ravus wants to believe she does, but he knows she doesn’t. They both have their demons, and neither of the two want to confess them to one another.  
“Lady Lunafreya visited me earlier,” Calista releases a weak sigh.  
_Lady Lunafreya_.  
So it isn’t just him she’s detaching herself from. Luna too? Even though they were so close, practically sisters, she doesn’t even just refer to her as Luna anymore?  
“She told me your birthday was coming up,” Calista lifts her eyes to his and Ravus grows weak, because for the first time he can see the damage on her. He can see the pain.  
All he wants to do is take that away.  
But he has to keep his distance. Just for now…  
Just for now… But how long will that be?  
“I suppose it is,” Ravus mutters. It’s today, but he isn’t going to bring it up. He isn’t going to let her know that it is actually almost over and he just wanted to treat himself by seeing her. Yet, their conversations always end up so… distant. “I haven’t been keeping up with those things… They don’t really matter. Not anymore.”  
Calista smiles slightly, “It is important… This is the first year I’ve had the chance to since -- well you know.”  
He _did_ know. Painfully, so.  
Calista continues softly, “I remember the first birthday celebration we had… you were turning seven.”  
Ravus scoffs, “That embarrassing thing? You remember _that_ of all things?”  
“It was cute,” Calista protests fondly.  
And the change in her mood was enough to make him crack slightly. These walls he had trained to build around him, weakening.  
Ravus shakes his head, no expression on his face, “I wouldn’t define that as cute.”  
“It was a simple dance.”  
“A dance I’d rather forget.”  
Calista sighs defeated, “I won’t. I won’t forget it because it some of the happiest memories I have left in me.”  
Ravus’s gaze lowers from her. The guilt boiling up again just like earlier.  
Thinking about the five year old girl who was too mature for her age… who didn’t get to experience a childhood like others.  
That birthday celebration must’ve been a delight...

“Calista, Calista!” the young princess called. Calista turned around to look at the eager girl.  
“What is it?” she said softly.  
“Guess who’s birthday it is!” Lunafreya exclaimed.  
“Yours?”  
“Wrong! It’s Ravus’s,” Lunafreya grinned. “He’s turning seven.”  
“Oh really?” surprise was evident in her voice.  
In the few months that she had gotten to know the royal children, she hadn’t figured out their birthdays. They weren’t that big of a celebration in her home, if at all. They were just another day of trying to live up to expectations.  
“I suppose I’ll have to say happy birthday before I leave,” Calista smiled.  
Lunafreya twisted her dress a bit in excitement, “You have to stay!”  
Calista furrows her brow in confusion, “Why?”  
“There’s going to be a celebration, and you’re invited!”  
Calista grinned, but it was forced. She would love to go, but she didn’t know what her father had planned, or if he’ll even let her go.  
“O-Oh, I see,” the five year old replies hesitant.  
Luna pouts a little, “You don’t sound excited.”  
“No, no, I am!” Calista quickly corrects. “I just have to… run this by my father!”  
Luna brightens a bit, “He’s invited too, it’ll be lots of fun! There’ll be lots of food and a dance… it’ll be great!”  
Calista found herself grinning genuinely at her excitement. So pure… so innocent. So happy. Ah, if she could bask in this all day. Just remain there forever, that would’ve be nice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Happy birthday,” Calista surprised the young prince.  
“Ah,” Ravus nearly yelped. “C-Calista, thank you.”  
Calista giggled, “Didn’t mean to startle you.”  
Ravus only hummed, not entirely convinced what she said was true. She was unusually happy.  
“You're happy,” Ravus stated.  
Calista grinned, “Of course, it's your birthday. They’re special, right?”  
The young prince nodded a bit, “Yeah.”  
“Then, I’ll be happy for you,” Calista walked closer to him. “I heard there was going to be a celebration or something.”  
At this, Ravus smiled as well, “Well, yeah. That’s how it is. When’s _your_ birthday?”  
He just wanted to get the topic off of his birthday. He was excited, but he didn’t want to hear about it every second. He was quite aware of his birthday at this point.  
“Mine is a mystery,” Calista winked at him playfully. “So there’s a dance?”  
Ravus sighed knowing he wouldn’t win, “Yeah, are you going to be there?”  
Calista’s cheeriness faltered slightly. “I’m not really sure,” she gave a light shrug.  
Confusion filled Ravus, “Huh? Why not?”  
“I have to ask my father.”  
“I’m sure he’s coming.”  
“Maybe, maybe not,” Calista shrugged again, fiddling with a stray strand of her red-violet hair. Ravus observed her carefully. He hadn’t expected it to be a question of “maybe’s.” He kind of had the initial idea that she would just be there. A frown formed on his lips subconsciously.  
Calista noticed and immediately tried to cheer the prince up, “I don’t know yet, though! I’ll try to go; I just--”  
“It’s fine,” the response was quick. He didn’t want her to worry about that. It was just a celebration, and it wasn’t even that important of a number.  
Calista sighed and gave a small smile shaking her head, “I’ll figure it out.”  
“Okay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She wasn’t there.  
Ravus noticed that the party had started, but his red haired companion was nowhere in sight. Luna had complained earlier about her not showing up. An hour in, and she wasn’t there? She probably wouldn’t turn up.  
And after the conversation earlier, Ravus didn’t expect much.  
Lunafreya was too eager to see her. Over the time they had met, Luna looked up to Calista like she was her older sister. Queen Sylva found it adorable of how attached her daughter had gotten to her.  
However, Ravus didn’t understand why Lunafreya was so upset. It wasn’t entirely uncommon that Calista just didn’t show up at this point. Though, they had spoken earlier, and hearing her tone, he instantly knew that she just wasn’t going to be there.  
It was just a celebration.  
Yet, when Ravus saw her walk in with her red dress thirty minutes later, Ravus didn’t know how to entirely respond. So, when she walked over to them and Luna hugged her, Ravus kind of stood there awkwardly.  
“I didn’t think you would come,” was all he managed to say.  
Calista winked, “It took some time, but I’m here! Sorry for being late.”  
Luna pulled away and shook her head, “Mhm, you should be! I’ve been waiting for you! Come on! There’s so much food.”  
Immediately, Calista found herself being dragged off by Luna before Ravus could make an effort to reply.  
Queen Sylva giggled at them, “Ah, those two are quite adorable. Like sisters, I would say, don’t you, Ravus?”  
Ravus simply nodded and Queen Sylva smiled at her son.  
“She’s a busy girl, Ravus, I told you that. She always pulls through,” Queen Sylva bent down and take Ravus’s hands into her own. “Why don’t you dance with her?”  
Ravus blanched. He hadn’t necessarily prepared to dance, not with her or anyone really. Maybe his sister, but he didn’t really have to try with her, she never really knew what she was doing since she was so young. In contrast to her, however, was Calista, who seemed to know her way around at the age of five. It always caught him off guard when she used words that he barely understood sometimes, and he always wondered who her teacher was.  
_She’s mature for her age_ , his mother would always say. Though there always seemed to be a bit of sorrow every time she said that. Young Ravus was always curious as to what she meant--why she was always so sad when she said that.  
So Queen Sylva managed to drag Luna off of Calista and allow her to move on her own accord. Calista apologized to Luna, but Ravus didn’t understand why she was so apologetic.  
“So, birthday boy,” Calista popped up behind him. Ravus spun around, inhaling sharply in surprise. Calista laughed, “You scare easily, you know?”  
Ravus puffed in annoyance, “No, I don’t.”  
Rolling her eyes, she replied, “Yeah, okay.”  
The music changed and Ravus sighed. He knew his mother was waiting expectantly for him to dance. He didn’t want to. That wasn’t something he necessarily enjoyed, and he still hadn’t mastered it. He didn’t want to dance if he still wasn’t that good. There was still so much to improve on.  
Even so, when he saw the way her amber-green eyes glew in wonderment at the adults who were dancing, Ravus knew that he couldn’t just push it off.  
“Hey,” Ravus hesitated and Calista pulled her eyes away from the spectacle.  
“Hm?” she hummed.  
“You want to… you know… dance?” smooth Ravus. Ravus inwardly cringed at how pathetic he sounded.  
But she didn’t seem to notice as she beamed, “Sure!”  
“Mind you, I’m not that great,” Ravus quickly stated as he was dragged onto the dance floor by Calista.  
Calista smiled, “No worries. I take lessons so it’ll be fine.”  
_Well, so have I_ , he wanted to say, but kept that to himself.  
“So you’re going to embarrass me?” Ravus frowned.  
Calista laughed, “More like embarrass myself.”  
Ravus didn’t know what she was talking about until they started. Calista was _clumsy_ , he noted. Sorely so--tripping over each other, her dress; it was a mess. And he hadn’t realized that this young lady who he thought held so much elegance, could be so… out of place on the dance floor. He wanted to blame it on the height difference, but that was fine, she wasn’t much shorter than he was at the time. The only thing he noticed was an awkward step when it came to her left leg, but he didn’t think much of it.  
He also hadn’t realized that Calista was dominant on her left, so her awkwardness on her left didn’t make much sense. Ravus just knew that there was heat rushing to his face when something went terribly wrong, and he could see that adult figures smiling, hear them giggling, and he just wanted to bury himself.  
_Embarrassing_.  
But she was enjoying herself. She acted like this was the most fun she had, had in years. A simple clumsy dance with the Prince who wasn’t quite so elegant at the time, but that made him strive for perfection. So the next time it wouldn’t be like this. Sure, they were children. But he also was the prince. He had to have some sort of coordination.  
“Phew,” Calista said later that night sitting on the bench outside.  
“What was _that_?” Ravus asked peering down at her.  
Calista laughed, “A dance!”  
Ah, he didn’t want to crush her spirits.  
“I don’t know if you could call that a dance…”  
“No, I wouldn’t,” she admitted. “But it was fun. I haven’t had dance before. Sorry, I was a little uncoordinated tonight.”  
Ravus didn’t feel so bad about bringing it up, “Yeah, what happened out there? You always stepped weirdly with your left leg.”  
She released a soft laugh, “I just had a little incident at home. That’s why I was a little late.”  
Ravus furrowed his brow in concern, “Are you alright? What did you do?”  
Calista winked at him reassuringly, “That’s a secret. It’d be too embarrassing to tell you.”  
“More embarrassing than that dance?” he quipped.  
She nodded severely, “More embarrassing than that dance.”

“Little did I know…” Ravus pauses looking at Calista with sorrow in his eyes.  
Calista doesn’t meet his gaze, “What’s done is done.” Her voice cracks and her eyes begin to close.  
A long, heavy sigh escapes Ravus’s lips as he picks Calista up and brings her to her bed. Gently, he removes the stray looks of her hair from her face, staring at her for a second.  
“...Just get some rest, Calista.”  
“...Happy birthday, Ravus.”

**Author's Note:**

> Quick look into their past again when things were happier.  
> A little birthday celebration for these two kids, but I might not have noticed some errors. Sorry!  
> Ravus turned 24. Calista is 22.


End file.
